Coaches vs. Cancer Golf Tournament Raises More Than $100,000

Published 06/03 2013 06:33PM

Updated 06/03 2013 06:39PM

STATE COLLEGE, CENTRE COUNTY - The 17th Annual Coaches vs. Cancer-Penn State Golf Tournament, held Friday at the Penn State Blue and White Courses, netted more than $100,000 in funds raised to support the American Cancer Society and provide direct aid to individuals and families fighting the disease in the Centre Region. The tournament fund raising total marked its highest in three years and helped push CVC-Penn State's total fund raising effort past $2 million since its inception in 1996.

"We had a tremendous two days with beautiful weather and a lot of fun all in the name of fighting cancer," Penn State coach Patrick Chambers said. "I'd like to thank all of our great sponsors, the volunteers, the CVC-Penn State committee and all of the coaches, formers players and other celebrities that participated for making this truly one of the best events in the country. I'm so proud to be part of a community that continues to come together like this and show its generosity and support."

Lead tournament sponsor Sheetz, Inc. and major sponsors HRI, Inc., Centre Concrete and Mount Nittany Health teamed with more than 50 sponsors to make this year's tournament and the two receptions surrounding it among the most successful on record.

Chambers, the host of the event and leader of the CVC-Penn State organization, teamed with Penn State football coach Bill O'Brien for the golf event on Friday. A winning bid of $5,100 earned one foursome the right to team with the two Penn State head coaches for the 18-hole event, as well as autographed memorabilia and tickets to both Penn State home basketball and football games. That bid helped push the funds raised from the silent auction at the Thursday night Sponsor/Captain Reception to a total of $15,000. The net funds raised at the CVC-Penn State Golf Tournament also included $20,000 raised through the Coaches Challenge in which Chambers and his wife, Courtney, pledged $5,000 and challenged tournament participants to make contributions in support of CVC-Penn State.

Nearly 300 golfers and 59 groups participated in the golf event held on both the Penn State Blue and White Golf Courses and more than 70 coaches, former Penn State athletes and regional luminaries served as captains. Amongst them were 10 Penn State head coaches that joined Chambers at the event, 19 former Penn State basketball standouts, including former head coaches Bruce Parkhill and Jerry Dunn, eight former Penn State football standouts, five members of the current football coaching staff, three area college basketball coaches and Big Ten Network personalities Rick Pizzo and Tim Doyle.

Among the skills contest and group winners on the day were several Nittany Lion standouts. Parkhill claimed the closest to the pin prize on No. 16 White while third all-time leading scorer Joe Crispin won closest to the pin on No. 5 White. Men's Hockey Head Coach Guy Gudowsky claimed long drive honors on the White Course while former Nittany Lion Tyler Smith claimed straightest drive on the Blue Course and Nittany Lion ninth all-time leading scorer Jarrett Stephens claimed closest to the pin on No. 4 Blue. Parkhill, Nittany Lion Assistant Coach Keith Urgo, former Nittany Lions Dana Fritz and Dave Angstandt, former Penn State punter Jeremy Kapinos and Penn State Men's Soccer Head Coach Bob Warming all helped lead their teams to victory for either gross or net scores on the two courses.

--PSU Athletic Communications--

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